Windows 8 May Have Kinect-Style Facial Recognition

After the recent leak of the first Windows 8 build, rumors are flying about what the new operating system might have in store. Hackers' latest find is the possibility of built-in facial recognition technology.

After the recent leak of the first Windows 8 build, rumors are flying about what the new operating system might have in store. Hackers’ latest find is the possibility of a Kinect-style facial recognition technology. They’ve already discovered a sensor API in the OS that detects human presence, and a slide from a leaked deck suggests users will be able to log on and switch users using facial recognition.

The rumor raises some interesting questions about privacy and security. A major concern is that this feature requires the webcam to be on at all times. Others questions include whether holding up a photograph of a person would trigger the recognition software.